Jump to content

Newcastle owner Ashley spent $220,000 on champagne in New York as Keegan fumed


Scottish Mag
 Share

Recommended Posts

article-0-02390B63000004B0-236_468x425.jpg

 

Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley celebrated with friends at a $220,000 party in a New York dancing bar as manager Kevin Keegan desperately fought for his job.

 

Sportsmail can reveal that while angry Newcastle supporters were demanding that Ashley step down over his handling of Keegan's resignation, the controversial billionaire had been partying with friends quaffing $7,500 bottles of Cristal champagne at the Pink Elephant club in swanky Manhattan.

 

Ashley had earlier refused to cut short his US trip after appeals from Keegan to meet face to face and told club managing director Derek Llambias to deal with the situation.

 

While Keegan then sought legal advice to try to salvage his role, Ashley racked up the astonishing bar bill after hosting a boozy party that was gatecrashed by local celebrities.

 

Ashley's party swelled to around 30 people after midnight, when a celebrity bash in a neighbouring club closed its doors and the crowd went in search of more free drinks.

 

Actors Kevin Connolly and Jeremy Piven, from U.S. TV series Entourage, swilled champagne with former Dallas Cowboys star Deion Sanders, ex-Boston Red Sox baseball star Mo Vaughn and Black Eyed Peas' singer Will.I.Am. They all joined in but none of them knew who Ashley was.

 

A source at the Pink Elephant said: 'They all partook in the drinking of the Cristal, but that was it. None of them know who he is.'

 

The club is ultra-trendy with walls that pump out aromatherapy scents and bejewelled chandeliers. No-one from Newcastle was available to comment last night. The incident will only serve to enrage the club's fans further.

 

Some of the Newcastle hierarchy hoped they could be appeased by the appointment of Alan Shearer as manager.

 

Both Dennis Wise, who is uncomfortable with the idea of taking over as manager, and Tony Jimenez believed an approach for Shearer would offer stability.

 

However, Ashley was not keen due to the 38-year-old's lack of experience. Shearer was overlooked as Sam Allardyce's replacement in January and Ashley's opinion of the former Newcastle striker has not changed since then.

 

Not interested: Geordie legend Alan Shearer won't put himself forward for the managerial position at St James' Park until a new regime is in place.

Shearer, who is said to be stunned at the events of the past week, said he did not want to succeed anyway, telling friends he would prefer to wait for a different regime before he took the job. He may not have to wait too long.

 

Supporters are planning a series of events aimed at undermining not only Ashley's position as club owner but also to negatively affect his Sports Direct business. And Sportsmail understands he is ready to sell with talks planned with the Reliance Communications Group led by Indian businessman Anil Ambani on Monday.

 

Billionaire Ambani is the sixth richest man in the world with a personal wealth estimated at £21billion. He and his group plan to take control of a Premier League club and look for new revenue streams in the Indian market, with Newcastle considered ripe for the taking due to their current instability and Ashley's careful book-keeping.

 

In clearing the debts he unexpectedly inherited, he has spent a total of £230million since his ill-advised takeover. It would take an offer of at least £350m to tempt him into a sale.

 

Ashley is expected to return after the club's next game against Hull at St James' Park. Newcastle supporters look unlikely to boycott that game but there have been calls for a blanket ban on all club products and all of Ashley's stores, including Sports Direct, Sports Soccer and Lillywhites.

 

They will stage a visual protest during the Hull match and are threatening to boycott Shearer's bar, all bars inside the ground and some fans have cancelled direct debit payments for season tickets.

 

Despite the fans' reactions to Keegan's departure, Ashley is determined to stand by his European-style management formula until a new buyer is found. Assistant coach Terry McDermott again took training yesterday while the argument over who owes whom what has intensified.

 

Keegan's three-and-a-half-year contract contains a clause stipulating whichever party terminates the deal owes the other £2m. He may argue that he has a case for constructive dismissal after finding himself unable to work alongside Wise, and LMA chief exceutive Richard Bevan believes Newcastle would be better re-evaluating their managerial structure rather than pursuing legal action against Keegan.

 

He said the club looked 'like an orchestra with four conductors.' Bevan added: 'I'd like to see Newcastle, rather than coming out and saying they are going to sue Kevin Keegan for £2m, talking about how they are going to improve for the next manager, how to have a working executive team that has shared positions, shared goals and good communication.'

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/...d.html?ITO=1490

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 55
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Firstly, it makes me sick to the stomach to see that Fat Cunt wearing our team's shirt. Secondly, I wonder if this who saga would put of any potential suitors coming in and buying Fat Cunt out... would be great to be owned by the 6th richest man in the world but would he risk coming here and upseting the fans in some way?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In clearing the debts he unexpectedly inherited, he has spent a total of £230million since his ill-advised takeover. It would take an offer of at least £350m to tempt him into a sale.

 

I don't understand things like that? Why would it take a £120m profit to get him to sell?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Actors Kevin Connolly and Jeremy Piven, from U.S. TV series Entourage :o

 

 

Surely Ari Gold could have sorted the whole thing out so easily

 

"Lets hug it out bitch"

 

:(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

aye you's are right must be an old pic

 

still wonder if Ashley has under-estimated whats waiting for him when he gets back to england

The charvas will have nowhere to shop though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

does he ever take that fucking shirt off?

That's Buffalo Joe's man.

I thought you were far too classy to go into such places. :(

 

Myself on the other hand. :huh:

I've never actually been. I know I'd hate it though. Nowt to do with my being classy however, as you well know.

I bet you fucking love it :o

:sweat:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

does he ever take that fucking shirt off?

That's Buffalo Joe's man.

I thought you were far too classy to go into such places. :sweat:

 

Myself on the other hand. :(

I've never actually been. I know I'd hate it though. Nowt to do with my being classy however, as you well know.

I bet you fucking love it :o

:huh:

:(

 

It's shite like, but the clunge on view is always something of a worthwhile distraction.

 

Although haven't been in since I was in my teens. Someone was telling me Baja was closing down (or closed down) as well, about fucking time. :icon_lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

aye you's are right must be an old pic

 

still wonder if Ashley has under-estimated whats waiting for him when he gets back to england

 

 

He couldn't care less

Aye, he couldn't give a fuck iyam.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.